Over the past seven years, I have lost count how many times I have heard the following three phrases from small business owners, startups and solopreneurs.
These are real and very common barriers that hold small businesses back from leveraging the large and effective opportunities that social media offers for building awareness of businesses.
In this month’s blog, I provide some ideas as to how small business owners can view these challenges differently and start to make social media really work.
1) "I don't know what to post and people aren't going to be interested in what I have to say"
'People' aren't your customer. If you are clear on the specific audience you are trying to reach, (your ideal customer profile), and that your product or service meets their need or desire, and you know that this profile spends time on social media (and which platforms), this group will absolutely be interested in what you have to say. Why? Because you can help them - and your social media posts and presence will show them how through value-added content.
2) “I don't get any business from social media so I've stopped using it”
Social media isn't (always) a conversion tool and it certainly isn’t going to turn the needle overnight.
Whilst organisations may be able to attribute revenue directly to a social media campaign, Meta Ad or shoppable post, for most small businesses, and in particular those offering a service, it's biggest value lies in being a brilliant awareness tool for the top of your marketing funnel. This is the initial stage of your customer journey where you want your target audience to know you exist.
Social media then allows you to spur their interest further and drive them to your blog, website, e-newsletter, free discovery call, event, networking group, or whatever else it might be that you feel you are getting business from. The sheer volume of social media will help all these other marketing activities work harder for you because you'll have many more of the right person being driven to them.
So see it and use it for what it is. It's just one part of your overall marketing arsenal (says the Liverpool fan) but you can use it to get yourself in front of a bigger volume of your ideal client profile.
3) “I'm wearing all the hats in my business and family so it always gets put to the bottom of the 'to-do' list"
It really doesn't have to take a lot of time if you commit a bit of time to planning your social media activities. By thinking about your content in advance and writing posts when you are 'in the zone' for writing, you’ll be able to achieve more higher quality content than if you try and dip in and out of it each day in between all the other ‘hat’ responsibilities.
And remember, you don't have to post - it's 'social' media after all so this means that you can still build your awareness and get on the radar of the right people by commenting meaningfully on content you find interesting as well as reposting content that will add value to your audience and adding your thoughts as to why.
I help small businesses to grow with social media training and marketing consultancy in Kent and beyond. Find out more about my services here.
And if any of the above resonates, and you would like to have a chat about how you can make social media work for you and your business, please book a free discovery call.